Proposed $17.25 million fine for PG&E's misleading records

ASSOCIATED PRESS

BY ASSOCIATED PRESS | November 4, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO — A California public utilities commissioner is proposing that Pacific Gas &amp; Electric Co. be fined $17.25 million for falsely claiming two old pipelines were safe and filing misleading records to downplay the misstep.

The California Public Utilities Commission on Monday said it received the proposal from commissioner Mark Ferron; an earlier proposal called for 6.75 million in fines for the violations.

Two judges found previously that PG&amp;E ran an aged pipeline at too high a pressure and minimized the lapses as data "errata" in safety filings.

The pipelines are in the same system as one in San Bruno that exploded in 2010, killing eight people.

PG&amp;E spokesperson Brittany Chord said PG&amp;E's goal is transparency, and the company is disappointed its efforts fell short "in the eyes of the commission."